Here is your chance to grow your own caraway seeds for baking! You need to be patient. Caraway plants are a biennial and do not produce flowers until the second season. Once it does bloom, the flowers are loaded with Caraway seeds for drying. Also, you can use the leaves as soon as the plant gets big enough to produce enough to meet your cooking or garnish needs. Caraway herb is native to Europe, Asia, and the U.S. They have feathery leaves similar to carrots.
Did You Know? Caraway roots are edible, too.
Plant height: 1 1/2 to 2 feet tall.
Hardiness Zones: 3 – 11
Biennial, Carum Carvi
Spicy caraway seeds are used in bread most notably rye bread, pastries, cheeses, sour cream, cottage cheese, and soups.
Leaves are used as a garnish and a few recipes.
Caraway is grown from seed. Directly sow Caraway seeds into your garden and cover lightly with soil. Space seedlings or thin plants to 18 to 24 inches apart in rows 12 inches apart.
For indoor starts, sow seeds 6 to 8 weeks before transplanting them outdoors. Also, we recommend a heated germination mat, for faster, more successful germination.
Lemon Balm is also commonly grown by the division of the roots. Left unattended, this aggressive plant will do just fine, rapidly spreading its roots into other areas of the garden or lawn. Also, Lemon Balm can be propagated by cuttings.
Final Plant Spacing: Space seedlings, or thin plants to 18″ apart in rows 12 inches apart.
Days to Germination: 7 – 14 days.
Caraway plants prefer full sun and well-drained soil. They do well in average soils and tolerate dry soil conditions. Water plants during dry periods, once a week. Add a general-purpose fertilizer once or twice during the growing season.
Grow these biennial plants in an area of your Herb garden where they will grow undisturbed, and not be in the way when it is time to plant your annual herbs next spring.
Harvest leaves as soon as there is enough to meet your needs. Harvest flower heads after seeds have formed, and the flower head has died. Cut back stems and tie them together. Hang them upside down to dry with a bag or pan under them to catch falling seeds. Shake the bundle to extract the remaining seeds.
Ideal pH: – 6. 0 – 7.0
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